Creep check for rails



Dec 18 1923. gw?

K. F. ELERS CREEP CHECK FOR RAILS Filed July 24 1922' s sheets-sheet 1 lz O Us \ u L- -A--f tf Jig. 5 5

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' INV y TOR -%Mz @if #g/g ATTORNEY wem-'18,1923 ummm? K. F. ELERS CREEP CHECK FCR RAILS Filed July 24. 1922 :s sheetssheet 2 jig. l@ Y f/ T De@ 189 1923. imma? K. F. ELERS CREEP CHECK FOR RAILS Filed July 24 1922 S Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented ec. 18, 1923.

KARL F. ELERS, 0F OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA.

cnn-:er CHECK non RAILS.

Application filed July 24,

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, KARL F. ELERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oa'kmont, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inlCreep Checks for Rails, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is for a creep check for rails to prevent them against longitudinal movement, and relates particularly to a device of this kind in which lthe ltendency oi' the rail to creep increases the gripping or checking action of the device.

The rails employed in railroads .do not have the same standard dimensions, and `consequently the usual creep check appicable to a'rail of one size cannot be applied to a rail of any other size, and therefore a railroad using them must carry a 'large stock of checks of 'diierent sizes. -While some creep checks have been `devised which are applicable to rails of di'erent sizes, such devices have several 'different shaped parts expensive to manufacture and difficult to apply.

The vpresent invention yhas for its principal object to provide an anti-Creeper of a standard size applicable to rails 'of different sizes, and which may be easily and cheaply manufactured and applied, and which will resist vany tendency ofthe rail to creep by clamping the rail more tightly.

My invention may be 'readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a railof relatively large size with my `invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a cross section on line lII-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the construction shown in Fig. r1,;

Fig. 4 is a perspective lview of the wedge plate;

Fig. 4a is a projection of the wedge plate as shown inFig. 2, the view being projected in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 5 is a sectiononlline V-V of Fig. B'through the wedge plate only;

Fig. 6 is 'a similar `section on line VI*VI;

Fig. 7 isi/an end viewofone of the clamps which maybe employed, the bolt,fhowever, being omitted;

1922. semi No. 576,963.

Fig. 8 is aside view of `the clamp shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 corresponds to Fig. 1, but shows the .invention applied to a rail of minimum size;

Fig. 10 is a section o 9; but showing a slight modification;

Fig. 11 is a bottom plan view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 12is a side elevation of a modified wedge plate in which one vend thereof is bent downwardly to form a tie engaging surface;

Fig. 13 is a section on Fig. 141s .fr section on une xiv-Xivef Fig. 22 is a cross section on line XXII- XXII of the sliding wedge engaging plate of Fig. 23;

Fig. 23 is abottom plan view thereof;

Figs. 24 and 25 are sectional `and end views respectively of a modified form of clamping member;

Fig. 26 is a view similar to Fig. y10 of a modification;

Fig. 27 is a longitudinal section on ine -a of Fig. 26, with the rail removed; and

Fig. 28 is a further modificationof a clamp construction.

In the drawings, Arepresents va rail and B a cross tie.

In the form of invention shown in Figs. 1 to 15 inclusive, C indicates a wedge'plate which may be of cast, forged, or rolled metal.` It is in the shape -of an inverted trough, having a flat top surf-ace -5 and v 'sloping sides 6. The top surface 5 tapers in width, as shown, whereby a corresponding decrease in the width of the sides i6, but in the opposite direction, is obtained.' lThis also gives the edges 7 a gradual inclination from end a to end b. As shown in Figs. 3 and 11, there is also a slight decrease in the overall width ofthe wedge plate, and vend b is narrower than end a. This p'tate could readily be pressed from a rectangular piece of metal.

On each side of the rail is a clamp D Y which also may be forged or cast or shaped from sheet metal. These clamps have an upper arm 8 and a lower arm 9 and connecting portion 10.` Arm 9 is formed at an acute angle to portion-10, while arm 8 is depressed at substantially right angles to part 10, so that arm 9 converges toward arm 8. The upper arm 8 may be provided with set screws 11.

Assuming that the tendency of the rail is to creep in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, the wedge plate is put under the rail with end b abutting against the lside of the tie. Clamps D are then slipped into place at end (t and driven in the direction of the arrow. By reason of the inclination of the edges 7 of the plate C, a wedging action takes place, and the rail is clamped to plate C, which in turn is held from movement by the end thereof engaging the cross tie -B. Set screws llmay then be tightened to prevent accidental loosening by vibration. Any

tendency of the rail to creep after the clamps have been set, increases the wedging action and the rail is elfectively held against creeping. The inclination of portions 6 of plate C and the inclination of arms 9 of the clamp cause a wedging action to take place if'the clamps I) are moved either laterally, outwardly, or inwardly, as may be understood from Fig. `2.

In Fig. 10 I have shown a bolt 10 passing through the portion 10 of the clamp. This bolt is adapted to be screwed into place after the clamp is applied in such manner that the inner end wedges between the sloping face 6 of wedge plate C and the rail base; This tends to more positively lock the wedge plate against longitudinal movement relatively to the clamp.

As shown in Figs. 12 to 15 inclusive, the wedge plate C is made in the usual manner, but it maybe bent at 13 so that one end thereof extends vertically downward, as indicated at 14. This is advantageous where it is desired that the wedge plate have a specially secure end engagement with the side of the tie, the end 14 being for this purpose. It is also useful where the ties are so close together that the full length wedge plate cannot otherwise be used. The taper of the wedge being constant, it will be seen that either end may be turned downwardly, so that one end -may be horizontal where employed with a small rail, and the other end be used in connection with large rails.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 16 to 23 inclusive, theY rail and tie are designated at .A and B respectively, butV the Vform of wedge plate previously described is omitted, and in its place a narrow tapering strip E is used. 4The strip `preferably has a fiat top surface 15 and a rounded'lower surface 16.

`As indicated by the dotted lines at 17, it may if desired, have a downwardly extending endV portion adapted to engage the side of a tie.

Beneath the wedge P, which is applied to the thicker end of the wedge abutting f against the tie. YClamps D of the kind hereinbefore described are then applied, with the lower arms 9 engaging the under side of the side portions 19, between the ribs 20, the upper arms 8, of course, engagingvthe top of the rail flanges. Then the wedge plate and clamps are moved along the wedge until they are driven toa clamping. position.

The clamps D, as shown in Figs. 16 to 23 inclusive, and in the other two Figures 24E and 25, are shown as being channel-shaped in cross section, which is desirable where they are formed from light castingsV or from heavy sheet metal, the side ribs l giving strength thereto.

Instead of using separate clamps at each side of therail, as described, a single clamp structure shown in Figs. 26 and 27 may be used. The clamp, indicated as D', comprises a central bridge portion 25 having a flat upper surface for engagement with the under side of the wedge plate C. At either side of the central bridge are downwardly inclined portions 2G and formed at the ends of these portions are the clamp portions 27.

In order to hold such a clamp from longitudinal movement out of wedging position, a metal strap 28 may be hooked over the bridge portion 20of the clamp, as indicated at 29. This strap extends under the wedge plate longitudinally, and Vat 30 the plate is cut back or slotted and a recess formed in its top face at 31. passes through slot 30 and is fitted into recess 31, a hook 32 thus being formed.

The stra-pf ;is;applied first tothe wedge plate, before the pla-te is applied to the rail.l

the hook 32 having. already'been formed therein. The clamp is then drivenVV into place, and the other end of the strap is hammered .around to form hook V29. i

Another form of clamp is shown in Fig. 28. This clamp is generally similar in construction to that shown in Fig. 10. Instead The end of the strapV lli) of having a bolt 10 `as shown in that figure, however, the clamp D has a bolt v10a eX- tending through a slot therein. On the inner face of the clamp is a spherical recess 10", in which is a nut l0c having a hemi-spherical face and through which bolt l0a is threaded. This arrangement answers the same purpose as that shown in Fig. 10, 'but the bolt is free to adjust itself angularly to dierent in clinations, so that it may function most effectively with different sizes of rails.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the creep checks may be easily and cheaply made and that they may be applied to rails of different sizes and with little difliculty.

f they are applied with care, they will ef iciently serve to prevent creeping of the rails.

What I claim is:

l. A creep check for rails ,i wedging means adapted to be applied to the base -of a rail and engage a cross tie, said wedging means including a plate having a laterally and longitudinally inclined side flange thereon, and a clamp having an arm for engagement with the rail and an arm for engagement with the` under inclined side flange of the plate in such manner as to prevent lateral displacement thereof after the clamp is set.

2. A creep check for rails comprising a wedge plate having a fiat upper surface and a side portion projecting laterally outward from the flat portion and sloping downwardly therefrom, the edges of the side portions being inclined longitudinally, and a clamp having an arm adapted to engage the under side of the laterally extending portion of the wedge plate, and another arm adapted to engage a rail flange, said clamp being adapted to be forced into clamping position by longitudinal movement along the wedge plate.

3. A creep check for rails compri-sing an inverted trough shaped wedge plate, the trough of which is deeper at one end than at the other, and a clamp having an arm extending inside the trough and another arm adapted to extend over a rail flange.

4. A creep check for rails comprising an inverted trough shaped wedge plate, the trough of which is deeper at one end 'than at the other, a pair of -clamps cooperating therewith, each of said clamps having a pair of arms and a connecting portion, one

comprising of the arms forming an acute angle with the connecting portion and being adapted to engage the inside of the trough.

5. A creep check for rails comprising a wedging means adapted to be applied to the under side of a rail, a clamp at each side of the wedging means, each of said clamps having two arms and a connecting portion, the lower arm converging ytoward the upper, and means on the wedge engaging the lower arms, the upper arms being adapted for en- `ga-gement with a rail flange.

6. A wedge plate for a rail creep check comprising an inverted trough shaped member, the sides of which are inclined laterally and of greater width at one end than at the other, the depth of the trough beinggreater at one end than at the other.

A wedge plate for a rail creep check comprising ya member having a flat ftop portion tapering in width from one end to the other, and downwardly sloping portions at each side of the dat portion and tapering in width in the opposite direction from the top.

8. A wedge plate for a rail creep check comprising a member having a flat top portion tapering in width from one end to the other and a downwardly sloping port-ion a-t each side of the iat portion and tapering in width in the opposite direction, the wedge plate having a substantially right angle bend therein to form two arms, either of which may be used in conjunction with clamping means.

9. A wedge plate for a rail creep check having wedging faces thereon and having a substantially right angle bend therein, the ends of each side of the bend being reversible as to the position in which they are used in the creep check.

l0. A creep check for rails comprising an inverted trough shaped wedge plate, the troughof which is deeper at one end than at the other, and clamps each having an arm which extends inside the trough and 'another arm adapted to extend over a rail flange, each of said clamps having a bolt threaded therein having an inner end which is adapted to be wedged between the under side of a rail base and a portion of the wedge p ate.

in testimony whereof I hereunto aiiiX my signature.

KARL F. ELERS. 

